Feeding bread to birds is harmful to their health, and animal experts advise offering them alternative food options instead.
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When it comes to feeding our feathered friends, it's important to remember that not all foods are created equal. A common misconception is that bread is a suitable food for birds, but this couldn't be further from the truth.
Dry, large chunks of bread can cause harm to birds' digestive systems, and even smaller pieces can pose a choking hazard. Moreover, bread is carb-heavy and nutritionally poor for birds, offering no essential nutrients they require to maintain their health.
Bread can swell in the stomachs of birds, causing discomfort and harm, and it lacks the vitamins and minerals that birds need to thrive. This is why wildlife experts, such as Sue Morgan, CEO of charity SongBird Survival, recommend natural foods for birds, including those grown in gardens.
The goal is to provide birds with food that mirrors their natural environment as closely as possible. This means offering a varied diet of seeds, nuts, and insect-based foods like mealworms, which provide essential nutrients and support bird health.
For waterfowl, leafy greens such as kale, spinach, beet greens, and chard are excellent nutritious options, as they provide vitamins and minerals that bread lacks. For songbirds and backyard birds, high-quality wild bird seed mixes, suet, and mealworms are highly recommended to attract a variety of species healthily.
Suet balls are beneficial for birds during winter and nesting periods, as they provide an energy boost and are easy to digest. Mealworms can also provide an excellent source of protein for birds.
On the other hand, feeding birds bread is akin to giving them junk food, as it fills them up but offers no nutritional value. Mouldy bread can be toxic for birds and cause a serious lung infection called aspergillosis.
In summary, the healthiest bird feeding options are diverse natural foods tailored to bird species' dietary requirements rather than bread or breadcrumbs, which should be avoided to promote bird welfare and environmental health. Kezia Reynolds, News Writer, joined the platform team in September 2024 and specializes in home news, deals, and trends. So, let's do our part in ensuring our feathered friends stay healthy and happy by providing them with the right food!
A diverse lifestyle in home-and-garden would benefit a variety of birds, offering them natural foods like seeds, nuts, leaves, and insect-based foods for optimal health. To support bird welfare and environmental health, it's important to avoid feeding bread to them, as it lacks essential nutrients and can cause harm.
